26 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



ment (eggs), so that few or many are produced, accord- 

 ing to the necessities of the colony." That this is 

 true to a certain extent, seems highly probable ; for 

 if a queen is taken from a feeble colony, her abdo- 

 men seldom appears greatly distended ; and yet, if 

 put in a strong one, she speedily becomes prolific. 

 He continues: "I conceive that she has the power 

 of regulating or repressing the development of her 

 eggs, so that gradually she can diminish the number 

 maturing and finally cease laying, and remain inac- 

 tive as long as circumstances require." 



The old queen appears to qualify herself for ac- 

 companying a first swarm, by repressing the devel- 

 opment of eggs ; and as this is done, at the most 

 genial season of the year, it does not seem to be the 

 result of atmospheric influence. The only difference 

 upon this point between Mr. Langstroth and myself 

 is, that he ascribes entirely to the queen the ability 

 to produce a greater or less amount of eggs, whilst I 

 believe this matter is regulated entirely by the com- 

 mon worker bees, by the quantity or quality of food 

 they give her ; or in other words, she is an instru- 

 ment which they use as they see fit, to supply them 

 with eggs from which to replenish the hive with 

 young workers, 



NO EGGS ARE DEPOSITED BY THE QUEEN IN QUEEN CELLS. 



This may seem paradoxical to some, yet I think 

 facts will fully confirm this opinion. The inveterate 

 hostility that exists between queens is well known by 

 all observing bee keepers. So fearful are they of a 



